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You are here: Home / Politics / Republican Stupidity / Shit Talk On Steroids

Shit Talk On Steroids

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One of the lasting legacies of the Republicans turning into Trump’s party is that formerly mild-mannered middle-of-the-road Republicans feel they can just let loose with whatever bullshit and lies they feel like excreting. Here’s an example from Rochester, where Republican State Senator Joe Robach, who kept getting elected in a Democrat-majority district, has decided to retire:

“There’s a fight going on even inside the Democratic Party, between the radical far left and mainstream Democrats, that’s not news to anybody, that’s being played out in Washington and New York and California are leading that movement,” Robach said. “That’s also permeated the New York Senate, we have people openly espousing for Communism, something I don’t favor.”

This is from a guy who was part of a legislative body that couldn’t even get marijuana legalization done. But I’m guessing a diet of Fox News and white resentment (is that redundant?), plus the prospect of losing his seat, has soured Robach, so he just lashes out.

There’s a huge dose of IOKIYAR involved here, too. Since the tone and tenor of Trump and Fox News has been adopted wholesale by the Republican Party, and Trump in particular is flooding the zone with just horrible, hateful rhetoric, the media tends to give these kinds of outbursts a pass. They are, after all, dog bites man. If we call a particular Republican initiative “fascist” or “racist”, then the perfumed hankies come out in the press, so none of them will have to inhale the putrid stench of partisanship.

Reader Interactions

102Comments

  1. 1.

    germy

    This is from a guy who was part of a legislative body that couldn’t even get marijuana legalization done.

    Do you think it’ll happen in 2020 in New York?  What’s your prediction?

  2. 2.

    germy

    …formerly mild-mannered middle-of-the-road Republicans feel they can just let loose with whatever bullshit and lies they feel like excreting.

    For example, Elise Stephanik, whose tweets now sound like Trump’s, complete with nicknames (“Taxin’ Tedra”) for her opponent.

  3. 3.

    The Moar You Know

    Since the tone and tenor of Trump and Fox News has been adopted wholesale by the Republican Party, and Trump in particular is flooding the zone with just horrible, hateful rhetoric, the media tends to give these kinds of outbursts a pass.

    And it’s working like a charm.  Abusers never start by beating the shit out of their women.  They escalate slowly until it just seems normal.

    By this time next year when they’re starting the programs to put all non-Republicans in camps the media will simply say “well, they’re not death camps, and the gruel is at least served warm.  I think these folks are the true lucky duckies!”

  4. 4.

    15 flush mistermix

    @germy: I hope so but I have no idea.  I’m disgusted that it hasn’t happened already and blame Cuomo, who promised it just to fight off Cynthia Nixon.

  5. 5.

    Mathguy

    I love these douche canoes using terms like “Communist” and “socialist”, when it’s clear that they don’t have the foggiest idea what they mean.

  6. 6.

    trollhattan

    “That’s also permeated the New York Senate, we have people openly espousing for Communism, something I don’t favor.”

    So, they’re opening each legislative session with mandatory singing of “The Internationale”? Who knew?

  10. 10.

    MattF

    Once upon a time, there were actual liberal Republicans. My MD district elected Connie Morella several times, she was to the left of most Democrats. Morella was finally beaten when Democrats got serious and Republicans got purity tests.

    By analogy, one imagines that, once, there were also moderate Republicans— the evidence is that they are now entirely gone as well, despite the continuing efforts of major media to find that so-elusive bipartisan paradise.

  11. 11.

    Baud

    I agree with the general point of this post, but calling liberals Communists predates Trump by many, many years.

  12. 12.

    Ralphie

    @germy: Stefanik has had to turn the volume of her bullshit way way up.  Her district is very swing (It formerly was held by the mighty Al Franken slayer, Kirsten Gillibrand).  I live in the district adjoining Stefanik’s and I think she’s running scared.

  14. 14.

    MattF

    @khead: I assume Trump considers himself permanent Person Of The Year. Doesn’t his bathroom mirror have the TIME logo across the top?

  16. 16.

    Kent

    Honestly it’s like we aren’t even speaking the same language anymore (if we ever were).

    I have a MAGA cousin who’s married to a dairy farmer in PA.  Your basic conservative Christian Trump supporting farm family.   The husband had a MAJOR farming accident, had a tractor roll over on him and suffered sustained internal injuries and bleeding to the spleen, left kidney, punctured right lung and 12 broken ribs, and was life flighted to a regional trauma center where he spent 3-4 weeks.    So her facebook feed has been an explosion of gofundme stuff and endless thoughts and prayers because they were in some kind of alternative conservative Christian insurance co-op rather than holding down actual legitimate insurance and didn’t have nearly adequate coverage to cover the 6-figure bills.  

    These are people who actively voted for and cheerleaded every attempt to repeal and undermine the evil Obamacare and ACA and managed to get shittier than normal coverage through some sort of deference to Evangelical Christians and their non-compliant co-op plans.   But there is just zero fucking self-awareness of their own self-inflicted financial misery.  It’s all about how “God is providing in their moment of need” because people in their extended circle are chipping in here and there.   But the will be digging out of this hole for a long time.

    At an earlier point in my life I would have had some sympathy.  At this point I just no longer have any fucks to give.    And I really despise that we have reached this point in our society.  These people voted for and campaigned for psychopaths who actively tried to kill and bankrupt millions of people through denial of healthcare.  Don’t ask me for my sympathy now.

  18. 18.

    catclub

    Republican Stupidity? Taking advantage of conditions.

     

    The effect of the hack gap. When a Democrat spews shit, other Democrats will not back them. Or say, in the case of the witness who mentioned ( horror of horrors) the NAME of the Trump’s son.  Democrats did not uniformly say that was fine, if not great.  The Republicans would have. The hack gap.

  19. 19.

    Kent

    @MattF:

    Once upon a time, there were actual liberal Republicans. My MD district elected Connie Morella several times, she was to the left of most Democrats. Morella was finally beaten when Democrats got serious and Republicans got purity tests.

    By analogy, one imagines that, once, there were also moderate Republicans— the evidence is that they are now entirely gone as well, despite the continuing efforts of major media to find that so-elusive bipartisan paradise.

    In an alternative timeline, Pete Buttigieg would probably have been a moderate Republican.  He talks like one.

  22. 22.

    mrmoshpotato

    If we call a particular Republican initiative “fascist” or “racist”, then the perfumed hankies come out in the press, so none of them will have to inhale the putrid stench of partisanship.

    It’s not the partisanship that’s causing the putrid stench.

    Also, fuck Chuck Todd, his bothsiderist bullshit and his perfumed hanky.

  24. 24.

    waspuppet

    … we have people openly espousing for Communism …

    Did anyone ask him for an example of someone actually saying “I espouse Communism”?

    Among the many things Republicans get away with is getting to pull little rhetorical stunts like this but then saying* “Did Trump SAY ‘I am extorting you’? HUH?”

    *(Of course our “liberal media” are guilty of this too)

  25. 25.

    Baud

    BTW, the era of the moderate Republican was so long ago, we should relegate it to the dustbin of history.

    I think I’m going to go all “Ok Boomer” on the next person who brings them up.

  28. 28.

    Kent

    @Baud: That’s what I mean by alternative timeline.  Without the gay thing he is basically a young Lincoln Chafee.  Liberal on social issues, moderately schoolmarmish on fiscal issues.

  31. 31.

    MattF

    @waspuppet: I’m watching ‘The Irishman’ on Netflix— Scorsese plays a Mafia hitman. Funny how the mob boss never has to say ‘go shoot so-and-so’. But the hitman can figure it out.

  32. 32.

    Kent

    @Lapassionara: Which they may need due to Trump’s tariffs.   Sigh.  In the long run they’d probably be better off moving to town and getting normal jobs with benefits.  But then they wouldn’t be able to glory over the rest of us about the superior wholesomeness of raising your kids in the country on a farm

  33. 33.

    oatler.

    Gomert ,Collins and Gaetz make it clear the confederacy causes brain damage. Those dipshits sound like televangelists hollering for money.

  36. 36.

    Central Planning

    @Baud: Lol. Sure, I’ll go stand on the socialist street and shout that.

    My kids say that to me now, and I’m only 49. It probably doesn’t help that I laugh at them when they do that.

  41. 41.

    Kent

    @Baud: Yeah, basically back pre-civil rights era when all the arch-segregationists across the south were Democrats.     That’s the “pro quo” to the “quid” of having liberal Northern Republicans.  You get a bunch of racist white-supremacist southern Democrats.  Or you basically don’t have enough Dems to make any kind of majority.   Yep, those were some better times.  

    Personally I prefer today when the terrible people all tend to collect in the same party.

  43. 43.

    Citizen Alan

    @Baud:

    We are literate enough to know that Wikipedia lists 16 major variants on what socialism is and that only a Republican moron thinks it refers to anyone who wants the government to do anything at all to help the bottom 99%.

  45. 45.

    Baud

    @Kent:

     

    Agreed. While things are bad, I can’t stand false nostalgia for the past, whether it comes from the right or the left.

  47. 47.

    Duane

    Missouri recently made improvements to its Capltol building. The statue of the Roman goddess Ceres, which has stood on top of the building for 95 years was refurbished. State Rep. Mike Moon (R-Ash Grove) doesn’t want the statue returned to the Capitol Building because Missouri shouldn’t worship a false god.

  49. 49.

    Roger Moore

    @Kent:

    Personally I prefer today when the terrible people all tend to collect in the same party.

    I don’t know about that. The problem with having all the terrible people in one party is that when that party takes over they’re eager to trash democracy so they can stay in charge. Proof is left as an exercise for the reader.

  50. 50.

    waspuppet

    @Baud: Thank you. I’ve been saying for years that “MODERN Republican Party” and “MODERN conservatism” are fig leaves. They’ve been like this for 50 years at least. That’s too long to call “modern.”

  54. 54.

    catclub

    There is a far too sensible idea at WAMonthly – that Michael Bloomberg should run in the GOP primary and drive Trump crazy – plus outspend him.

    If Bloomberg were not far too egotistical, he would go for it.

     

    link

  57. 57.

    Josie

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    I can’t speak for Georgia and Florida, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t assume that Gohmert is a spokesman for all Texas representatives.  I’ll admit that our senators are assholes, but we have some really fine representatives.

  58. 58.

    sdhays

    @waspuppet: The one caveat to that is that moderation at the state level party in some states did last at least into the late 90’s and early 2000’s. It’s mostly been stomped out by now, though.

  62. 62.

    Kent

    @Roger Moore:I don’t know about that. The problem with having all the terrible people in one party is that when that party takes over they’re eager to trash democracy so they can stay in charge. Proof is left as an exercise for the reader.

    I see you point.  But the flip side is that we go 50 years protecting segregation and the apartheid south to keep southern Dems in the party.

     

    We just can’t be naive about facilitating their bad acts as illustrated by this thread about Patrick Leahy:  http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2019/12/the-man-who-stopped-many-obama-from-filling-many-judicial-vacancies-in-exchange-for-nothing

  64. 64.

    mdblanche

    So the UK election exit poll is out and it’s looking pretty bleak.

    Conservative 368

    Labour 191

    Liberal Democrats 13

    SNP 55

    Green 1

  69. 69.

    cain

    @Baud:

    Yeah it is pretty dire. There are going to be some serious consequences going forward. I wonder if Putin has started to interfere with the election. The turmoil that is going to come from this is going to be large.

  74. 74.

    debbie

    Someone please shut that Collins clown up. But first teach him how to pronounce “solemnity.” Fucker.

  75. 75.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    @Duane: Missouri shouldn’t worship a false god.

    I want to ask this numbnut if a weathervane on a roof means the people inside the building worship chickens.

  77. 77.

    zhena gogolia

    Of all the depressing things going on right now, for some reason the fact (I just learned from Seth Meyers) that that orange lying sack of excrement called President Zelenskyy a “corrupt bastard” at his Nazi rally in Hershey, PA, has me more depressed than anything else. WHEN WILL IT END?

  78. 78.

    lamh36

    I bet every educator I know agree with Rep Wilson about DeVos

     

    “I’ve had some honest disagreements with my friends in the Republican party about how to move education forward but I’ve never, not one time, believed that they were out to destroy public education until I met you.

     

    You are the most unpopular person in our government. Millions will register to vote in 2020. Many will vote to remove you more than to remove the president. I yield back.”

     

    https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1205238111086755842

  90. 90.

    namekarB

    … we have people openly espousing for Communism …

    In California the far left was mainstream after the great depression in the 1930’s. Both parties had a giant lurch to the right after Saint Ronald Raygun was Governor and then Preznit. Conservative Democrats would have been Moderate Republicans in bygone years. Heck, President Eisenhower was to the left of Joe Biden on more than a few issues

  93. 93.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Kent: We really need to stop this kind of shit.  The both parties used to have liberal and conservative elements.  The party one chose was due more to regional and ethnic reasons than ideology.  That is no longer so.

  95. 95.

    Leto

    I somehow always come back to the coverage when the dipshits are talking. Not sure how I’m doing that, but it’s making for a mostly quiet coverage for me.

  96. 96.

    debbie

    @khead:
    You know, if Trump had a war room of any quality, they would have Photoshopped all of Trump onto the cover so it would really look like he was the person of the year. I think the subliminal message they’ve sent with just pasting in his head is that Trump deep down is a pussy.

  100. 100.

    Sloane Ranger

    Ye Gods,  Blyth Valley, which was hoping to be the first constituency to declare, is doing a bundle recount. We are doomed!

    All signs are that the Tories will get a more than comfortable majority and the SNP will pick up seats in Scotland. 3 seats have just declared. Labour have held 2 but with a significantly reduced majority and the Tories have taken Blyth Valley  The election is lost.

    The SNP is expected to increase their representation in Scotland so the  future of the Union is in danger.

    Looking like the Brexiteers will get their wish but at the expense of the Union itself.

    I blame Corbyn. People are looking for decisive leadership on Brexit and he didn’t offer it.

    Sorry if this is a bit incomprehensible. Am drinking heavily.

  101. 101.

    J R in WV

    @Sloane Ranger:

    No one could blame you for drinking in response to this news. I still hope that actual voting will differ from the exit polls… you never know.

    Best of luck in any case!!

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